'Monk' has always been one of my most watched shows when needing comfort, to relax after a hard day, a good laugh or a way to spend a lazy weekend.
"Mr Monk and the Marathon Man" is not one of the classic Season 1 episodes like, up to this point, "Mr Monk and the Candidate", "Mr Monk and the Psychic", "Mr Monk Goes to the Asylum" or "Mr Monk and the Other Woman" or the near-classic that is "Mr Monk Meets Dale the Whale". It is still a very good episode from a solid season, in a rare case of a show that feels well-established when many shows don't settle straight away.
The identity of the killer and the motive are no surprises at all and maybe some of the story is a bit formulaic.
On the other hand, One of the best things about 'Monk' has always been the acting of Tony Shalhoub in the title role, it was essential for him to work and be the glue of the show, and Shalhoub not only is that but also at his very best he IS the show. Have always loved the balance of the humour, which is often hilarious, and pathos, which is sincere and touching. It is remarkable here that right from the first episode to when the show ended that one likes him straight away, even with his quirks and deficiencies that could easily have been overplayed, and also that he is better developed than most titular characters of other shows at this particular stage. Who can't help love Monk's brilliant mind too?
He is very well supported by a sharp and no-nonsense but also sympathetic Bitty Schram, whose Sharona makes for a worthy and entertaining partner for Monk's sleuthing and somebody with a maternal side. There is always a debate at who's better between Sharona and Natalie, personally like both in their own way and consider them both attractive though as of now leaning towards Natalie as the better acted and more attentive of the two.
Also by a very amusing, and sometimes even funnier than that, Ted Levine, what a difference from his Buffalo Bill in 'The Silence of the Lambs', while Jason Gray-Stanford is almost up there with the other three leads though his material isn't always as inspired in general.
It's not just the cast though. Another star is the writing, which is also essential to whether the show would be successful or not and succeed it does here. The mix of hilarious wry humour, lovable quirkiness and tender easy-to-relate-to drama is delicately done but extremely deft. Agreed that the words of wisdom bit at the end was heart-warming, and the exchanges between Monk and Sharona were incredibly entertaining.
Story may be formulaic and there are less obvious final solutions, though how Monk figures it all out and how the murderer managed to do the impossible was very clever.
Visually, the episode is shot in a slick and stylish way, and the music is both understated and quirky. Much prefer the jazzy Season 1 theme tune to the later "It's a Jungle Out There", which always struck me before as one of my least favourite assets of 'Monk' but has since grown on me, which should have been kept. It's all very capably directed.
Overall, very good. 8/10 Bethany Cox
"Mr Monk and the Marathon Man" is not one of the classic Season 1 episodes like, up to this point, "Mr Monk and the Candidate", "Mr Monk and the Psychic", "Mr Monk Goes to the Asylum" or "Mr Monk and the Other Woman" or the near-classic that is "Mr Monk Meets Dale the Whale". It is still a very good episode from a solid season, in a rare case of a show that feels well-established when many shows don't settle straight away.
The identity of the killer and the motive are no surprises at all and maybe some of the story is a bit formulaic.
On the other hand, One of the best things about 'Monk' has always been the acting of Tony Shalhoub in the title role, it was essential for him to work and be the glue of the show, and Shalhoub not only is that but also at his very best he IS the show. Have always loved the balance of the humour, which is often hilarious, and pathos, which is sincere and touching. It is remarkable here that right from the first episode to when the show ended that one likes him straight away, even with his quirks and deficiencies that could easily have been overplayed, and also that he is better developed than most titular characters of other shows at this particular stage. Who can't help love Monk's brilliant mind too?
He is very well supported by a sharp and no-nonsense but also sympathetic Bitty Schram, whose Sharona makes for a worthy and entertaining partner for Monk's sleuthing and somebody with a maternal side. There is always a debate at who's better between Sharona and Natalie, personally like both in their own way and consider them both attractive though as of now leaning towards Natalie as the better acted and more attentive of the two.
Also by a very amusing, and sometimes even funnier than that, Ted Levine, what a difference from his Buffalo Bill in 'The Silence of the Lambs', while Jason Gray-Stanford is almost up there with the other three leads though his material isn't always as inspired in general.
It's not just the cast though. Another star is the writing, which is also essential to whether the show would be successful or not and succeed it does here. The mix of hilarious wry humour, lovable quirkiness and tender easy-to-relate-to drama is delicately done but extremely deft. Agreed that the words of wisdom bit at the end was heart-warming, and the exchanges between Monk and Sharona were incredibly entertaining.
Story may be formulaic and there are less obvious final solutions, though how Monk figures it all out and how the murderer managed to do the impossible was very clever.
Visually, the episode is shot in a slick and stylish way, and the music is both understated and quirky. Much prefer the jazzy Season 1 theme tune to the later "It's a Jungle Out There", which always struck me before as one of my least favourite assets of 'Monk' but has since grown on me, which should have been kept. It's all very capably directed.
Overall, very good. 8/10 Bethany Cox
